Tea: 2021 Green Shoumei (绿寿眉) Type: White Tea Harvest: Autumn 2021 Press Date: October 2021 Region: Taimushan, Fuding, China Producer: Master Zhang Tasting Notes: Chestnut, umami, spring grass, violets . With incredibly green whole large leaves, this 2021 Green Shoumei is exactly the source material we were looking to press. Too often in the modern tea market do producers press poor quality browned shoumei, very few makers are determined to make good quality green shoumei, and even fewer eager to press it. To us, this tea cake represents a return to tradition, the pressing of good quality white tea material to age into supurb aged white tea (which is quickly disappearing from the market, being usurped by the cheaper, intentionally browned stuff). The warmed leaves are thick with umami and remind us of a nutty dragon well green tea. This tea was lightly charcoal roasted and rested before being pressed into tea cakes in October of 2021. Rare among Shoumei teas is a fresh tea worth drinking, and this tea doesn’t disappoint. It is rich with complexities dancing between a vegetal baimudan and a nutty green tea. The huigan of this tea is quick, and the mouthfeel is rich and oily. This tea can take a lot of heat and lengthy infusions without betraying too much bitterness. Sometimes we like to really push it to deliver a thick cup rich with umami, other times we brew it light to emphasize the lighter vegetal notes. Experiment to see what works best for you! We are happy to drink this tea immediately and eager to see how it changes with age! As with all our white teas, we brew 6 grams in a 100-120ml gaiwan with water right off the boil. You can experiment with different water temperatures, cooler temps give the tea a little more floral notes, higher temps bring our more umami. Never bought a tea cake before? Check out our video on how to break it apart! Check out the other teas produced by Master Zhang here.
